Iraq trade minister quits amid corruption allegations

26 May 2009 — 6:27am

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki accepted the resignation of Trade Minister Abdul-Falah al- Sudani, who faced a vote of no confidence following allegations of corruption.

"The Trade Minister had submitted his resignation on May 14, 2009, but the Prime Minister had postponed accepting it so that Parliament could exercise its overseeing role in the framework of the constitution and the law," al-Maliki's office said in a statement posted on its Web site.

Al-Sudani appeared in parliament on May 16 and 17 to be grilled by lawmakers, the first time an official had been summoned on such charges. Al-Sudani acknowledged cases of corruption and said the system needed to be revised.

Iraq's Commission on Public Integrity earlier this month charged nine trade ministry officials with financial and administrative corruption related to the country's food import program. Officials were accused of selling food instead of giving it to its intended recipients and of letting foodstuffs go bad in ministry warehouses.

Al-Maliki last week renewed his pledge to fight corruption, describing it as an obstacle to foreign investment. A report by the CPI leaked to the media said billions of dollars had been lost to corruption in Iraq, the British Broadcasting Corp. said.